The Ties That Bind
by Stephinator Lynn
Summary: Hermione is ready to start her first year at Hogwarts after pleading with her father to let her attend.
1. Prologue

Authors note: This is an idea I've had for a while and finally putting fingers to keys so to speak. I do not own Harry Potter.

Prologue

"Hermione, there will be no further discussion on the issue, you will be attending Beauxbatons School in the fall."

"But dad that's not fair! I've grown up in this castle. You've said it yourself that Hogwarts is the best school in the world." The young girl pleaded with her father.

"I teach here Hermione, it wouldn't be fair to the other students."

"I know you wouldn't treat me any different than any other student. None of the teachers here would, well maybe Minerva, but still."

"You're just as stubborn as your mother."

"She'd want me to go to Hogwarts wouldn't she?"

He sighed, "of course she would. Your mother loved this school."

"Is that a yes?"

"I'll take you to Diagon Alley this afternoon to get everything you'll need."

Hermione ran to her father, hugging him fiercely, "thank you dad."

"You're welcome my dear."

"I hope I get sorted into Gryffindor."

"Not Slytherin like your father?"

"No offense dad, I'd rather be in the same house as mom was. Also, can I take the train to Hogwarts."

"Hermione you live at Hogwarts."

"Please?"

"You look like your mother when you do that."

"That's also a yes right?"

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"Severus calm down, everything will be fine."

"Albus, I don't want her attending school this year, you know who will be here. And they will probably both be sorted into the same bloody house."

"Of course they will Severus, they are related."

"They don't know that."

"Maybe it is time they did."

"She'll hate me for not telling her."

"You had your reasons Severus. Let us just see how this year pans out for them."

END PROLOGUE


	2. Year One-Part One

Year one – Part One

Hermione smiled inwardly as she heard all of the first year students talk about the enormity of the Hogwarts castle and how they hoped none of them would get lost. According to her father, Hermione was born at Hogwarts and had spent the first eleven years of her life running through the halls. She recognized some of the older students from the times her father would let her study in the library.

Sure Hermione had seen the beauty of Hogwarts castle time and time again, nothing prepared her for the Hogwarts express train. It was large and shiny and for the first time she could act like any other Hogwarts student and be amazed at the magic around her.

"Are you here by yourself dearie?" Hermione looked up to see a kind lady with red hair. Yes she was alone, her father thought it best that no one knew who her father was and she had agreed, not wanting the other students to think she was getting special treatment.

"Yes, my father had to work. I'm Hermione Granger." She introduced herself with the name they had discussed. The Hogwarts instructors would also know the same name.

"Well you'll have to stick with us. I'm Molly Weasley dear." Of course she was. Hermione knew of the Weasley boys at school. She remembered having a crush on Charlie Weasley when he was still in school. "Ron is starting his first year too. He's here somewhere." The train whistled loudly, "oh, you should get on the train dear, you don't want to miss it. I'm sure Ron is already on the train with his brothers."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley."

Hermione made her way onto the train, immediately bumping into someone. "Excuse me? Have you seen a toad around here? His name is Trevor." The train started moving.

"I'm sorry no. But I'll help you look. He couldn't have gotten far."

Hermione made her way through the compartments, helping the poor boy look for his toad. After nearing the end of the train with no luck, she had one more to try, "have any of you seen a toad in here, a boy named Neville has lost his."

"Sorry no." Hermione looked to the voice. She had heard rumors of the boy starting Hogwarts this year from the other teachers. He held out his hand, "hi, I'm Harry Potter" she shook his hand, staring at him a little longer than she would. He was the boy who lived; who survived an attack by Voldemort. "And this is Ron Weasley."

"Hi, I met your mother outside."

Ron groaned. "Of course you did. Woman talks to everyone."

"Are you doing magic?" She asked Ron.

"Yea, my brother taught me a spell to turn my rat Scabbers yellow." Hermione sat with the two boys for the rest of the train ride to Hogwarts.

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Hermione sat with the other first year student in the Great Hall. She had just met Draco Malfoy and already didn't like him. She had met Lucius Malfoy once with her father and didn't like him at all. She knew Draco would be sorted into Slytherin and although her father would be a little disappointed if she wasn't in Slytherin, he knew how much being in Gryffindor would mean to her.

Ron and Harry had already been sorted into Gryffindor and Draco in Slytherin. "Hermione Granger!" Dumbledore called. He winked at her and she couldn't help but smile. She looked over at her father who kept his 'Slytherin scowl' on and then to Minerva, who was smiling widely at her. Minerva had been like a mother to her for as long as Hermione could remember.

She sat herself on the stool and Dumbledore placed the large sorting hat on top of her head. 'hmm, also a tough one' the sorting hat grumbled to itself. 'Slytherin would suit you well, but Gryffindor is also possible. Yes, very difficult indeed. Never have I had two students in the same year that fit in conflicting houses.'

"Please not Slytherin." Hermione whispered.

'That's what the other one said. You both could do amazing things in Slytherin, but... "GRYFFINDOR!"'

Hermione smiled and Minerva clapped enthusiastically. She hopped off of the stool and joined the rest of the Gryffindors for the large feast. She sat between her new friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, looking forward to her first year as Hermione Granger.

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"Albus, my daughter is not stupid. Sooner or later she is going to figure this out."

"We knew that this would happen. Of course they are in the same house, and I am not surprised that they have become friends. It was inevitable."

"Yes but now they are getting into trouble together. My daughter was fighting a troll in the dungeon Albus."

"Harry and Ron went to save her from the troll. I think instead of worrying about them, we need to concern ourselves with who let the troll into the school in the first place."

"Someone was also cursing Harry Potter's broom during the Quidditch match. I just don't want my daughter getting hurt because of him."

Albus Dumbledore smiled, "you can't keep them apart Severus."

"Well I am taking Hermione to Paris for Christmas break. She's been asking to go back for years."

"If I recall you took her mother there as well."

"I did. I hear her two friends are staying here for Christmas, good luck with them." Albus smiled.

END CHAPTER 1


	3. Year One-Part 2

Year One – Part 2

"Harry, whatever fluffy is guarding, it's being guarded for a reason. I don't think we should be trying to get in there. " Hermione said.

"Ron and I think that it is guarding the philosopher's stone." Harry explained what they had figured out during the Christmas holidays while reading in the restricted section. "And we think that Snape is trying to get to it."

"Snape?" Hermione asked with a loud whisper. They were sitting around the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, other Gryffindor students around hurriedly finishing assignments that were due tomorrow. "He wouldn't do something like that. He's a teacher here. He's here is protect Hogwarts."

"He's a Slytherin. He used to work for You Know Who during the war." Ron muttered, showing off his obvious distain for the potions professor.

"That's a lie!" Hermione shouted. Other Gryffindors studying in the common room shushed her. "Sorry, it's not him. There's no way its him." Hermione sat up and walked out of the common room. "It can't be him" She told herself and she made her way through the portrait hole.

"What's her problem?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged.

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Hermione didn't care that she was being stared at by the other Slytherins as she walked through their dungeons. "Oy Granger, already tired of being a Gryffindor?" Draco asked from a nearby bench. She grew up in the dungeons and used to like them; now that she was a Gryffindor, her viewpoints had drastically changed.

"No Malfoy, just looking for Professor Snape. I have a question about our potions assignment."

Draco got up from where he was sitting. "Maybe I can help you out Granger. I'm excelling in potions."

"My name is Hermione." She said to him. "Furthermore, last time I checked I was still ahead of you in class.

"Miss Granger. Out passed curfew I see. 10 points from Gryffindor." Snape stood in the doorway of his classroom. Draco started to laugh. "Mister Malfoy, please return to your common room or I will be deducting the same."

Severus turned and went back into his classroom, Hermione in tow. She followed him through his classroom, passed his potions lab and into his private living quarters; their living quarters, "Dad-"

"Hermione, coming down here was a bad idea. It's late, could this not have waited until morning."

"Please tell me you didn't work for The Dark Lord during the war."

"Hermione-"

"Tell me! You never tell me anything! You never talk about the war and you never talk about my mother! Minerva said that she was killed by him, but the dark lord himself!" Tears streamed down her face. "You weren't working for him were you?"

"Many people believe I worked for The Dark Lord during the war. We wanted it to seem that way."

Hermione tried to stay calm after her outburst, "Who is we?"

"Dumbledore and I."

"You were a spy."

"Yes."

"Did mom know?" Hermione sat in her favorite arm chair.

"She couldn't know. The last thing I wanted was for her to get hurt because of me."

"But she died anyways."

"Hermione, you were born in the middle of a war. All we wanted was to keep you safe. Your mother and I couldn't fight side by side; our time together was brief but I thank Merlin that I have you. The night you were born your mother and I brought you here, to Minerva, vowing to come back to you after the war."

"I'm glad one of you came back. I mean, people like Neville, and Harry, they lost both their parents.

"The war was a terrible time, wizards and witches dying all around us."

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After Hermione had talked with her father, she had felt bad for yelling at her friends. Harry and Ron were her best friends and the last thing she needed was to push them away. On her walk back to Gryffindor she knew what she had to do. She had to tell her friends the truth.

When she got back to the common room most of the students had gone to sleep, Ron and Harry however were still sitting by the fireplace. "Oy Mione why'd you go and run off. Harry and I took the cloak out but we couldn't find you."

Hermione smiled and walked over to them. First years really had no idea the expanse of hiding places in the castle. If Hermione never wanted to be found, she could disappear within the castle. "I'm sorry you two." She sat cross-legged on the floor with them, closest to the fire as the dungeons had been quite cold. "There is something I want to tell you guys."

Harry placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "you can tell us anything Mione."

Hermione took a deep breath. "I know that Snape is not trying to get the Philosophers stone. He's trying to protect it."

"How can you be sure of that?" Ron asked.

"I'm sure because Severus Snape is my father."

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Harry and Ron had taken the news of Hermione's parentage rather well considering her father was the most hated teacher at Hogwarts. In the end the three of them had gone after Professor Quirell and the Philosophers stone.

"Ron, Harry has been in the hospital for three days now. I'm getting worried about him." Hermione stated at the end of year feast as Ron continued to eat.

At that moment the great hall doors came open and Harry stepped inside obviously looking for signs of his best friends. Hermione went to him immediately running down the aisle and hugging him fiercely. "I've never been more worried in my whole life Harry."

"I'm sorry I got you into all of this Mione. I'm sure your dad is pretty mad about everything."

"It was worth it. C'mon, lets enjoy the feast; they will be announcing the house cup shortly."

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A/:N The first few years will be like this, just quickly going through. Hope you enjoy.


	4. Year Two-Part One

Second Year – Part One

Hermione was waiting anxiously for her two best friends to arrive at the train station. She kept checking the time. They were running late. The train was going to leave shortly with or without them. As she waited she thought about all of the things she had to tell her friends when she saw them; yes she had seen them in Diagon Alley buying books but there wasn't enough time to tell them things privately. Throughout the summer her father had been distant and he was never around. When he did spend time with her he would constantly reiterate the importance of not telling anyone her real name. Was she in danger? She didn't quite understand what was happening but she assumed it had something to do with Voldemort trying to return.

She understood her father's concerns. If her dad was a spy for Dumbledore, she could very well be in danger. As she heard the train screech his whistle one last time she quickly got on the train. Out the window she saw Mrs. Weasley ushering her children to the train. She couldn't however see Ron or Harry.

She didn't see Ron or Harry until the welcoming feast was almost over. Hermione sat with Ginny, who had just been sorted into Gryffindor , both growing increasingly worried. Finally they rushed in, making a loud noise as they did. Ginny and Hermione moved over to make room for them. "Oh good, the food is still here; I'm starving" Ron said, immediately grabbing food and putting it onto his plate. Hermione and Ginny both rolled their eyes.

"What happened to you two?" Hermione asked, noticing the dirt all over them.

"We drove here and the whomping willow attacked the car." Harry said matter-of-factly while also piling food on his plate.

"You're lucky you weren't expelled." Hermione said.

"That's what Snape said." Ron muttered.

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"So you really think that you're in danger Hermione?" Harry asked later that night after the trio had had a chance to catch up.

"I don't know. Not while I'm here at least; Hogwarts is the safest place anyone could be right?" Hermione said. "I think my dad is just being cautious."

"But if You Know Who comes back-"

"He's not coming back Ronald." Hermione snapped. "He can't come back, can he?"

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"Harry, what did you see?" Hermione asked Harry. He had come back to the common room looking like he had seen a ghost.

"Filch's cat, she was petrified."

"Petrified? How?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. But someone wrote on the wall. It said 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware.'" Harry explained.

"What's the Chamber of secrets?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. Hermione, maybe Snape would?"

"The last thing I want is to tell my dad I know about the Chamber of Secrets, especially after what happened last year."

"Maybe Draco opened it?" Harry suggested.

"Well I'm definitely not going to ask him about it." Hermione laughed.

"We could brew a polyjuice potion. Disguise ourselves as Slytherins; maybe we could get some answers that way." Both Harry and Ron looked at Hermione.

"My dad may be a potions professor but I don't know the first thing about brewing something that complex."

"There has to be a book about it somewhere." Ron said. "You're good with books Mione."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "well spotted Ron. There is probably a book, but it would be in the restricted section and no professor is going to give us a pass to go into the restricted section to check out a book on how to brew a polyjuice potion."

"Professor Lockhart might." Harry said.

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Hermione shook her head as she watched her father attempt a duel with Gilderoy Lockhart. She was beginning to think that Professor Lockhart truly knew nothing about magic whatsoever. She didn't know whose idea it was to start this stupid dueling club but the recent petrification of Colin Creevy had left everyone on edge and starting this club could help if there truly was something evil hiding in the walls of Hogwarts castle.

Lockhart had of course picked Harry to duel and her father had put up Draco. It was always going to be Slytherin against Gryffindor; war or no war. Hermione found herself uninterested in the dueling until she heard something strange coming from Harry. He was speaking to a snake, in parseltongue. It looked like the snake was going to attack. What was Harry saying. Her dad finally stepping in and with a quick flick of the wrist burned up the snake.

As everyone left the great hall they stumbled across Justin Finch-Fletchley lying on the floor, petrified along with one of the resident ghosts; nearly-headless Nick. Panic struck across all houses. All students were told to go back to their dormitories. Severus sought out the eyes of his daughter, silently telling her to do as she was told. She nodded to him as he assisted the other professors in moving the boy to Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing.

Once back in the dormitories, Hermione had changed out of her school robes and was studying at one of the tables in the common room. Around her she could hear other students whispering about what happened with Harry. She also heard someone say that Harry was the heir to Slytherin.

She closed her books loudly and made her way to Harry and Ron. "Harry, why didn't you tell us you could talk to snakes? You're a parselmouth?" She asked.

"I didn't know. I was telling it to stop."

"Yea right, it looked like it was going to attack; Snape had to kill the ruddy thing." Ron said.

"Harry, Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth, why do you think the Slytherin emblem is a large snake? I heard some students saying that you were the heir to Slytherin and that you opened the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione said.

"You two know there is no way I would do that right?" Harry asked them.

Hermione put an arm on his shoulder, "I know Harry. We believe you. I think that we all just need to be a little more careful right now."

"What we need Hermione is that polyjuice potion." Harry said.

"I'm still trying to get all of the ingredients. It should be ready soon."

END CHAPTER.

A/N: wow, a lot happens in this year I had forgotten. I know some areas are not exactly like the books/movies but I am going off of pure memory for this story.


End file.
